NHS plans: Harrogate digital healthcare firm sees opportunities ahead

John Grainger

A Harrogate-based digital healthcare company has welcomed the NHS Long Term Plan to increase the role of technology in creating a sustainable health and care service over the next decade.

NHS England said its new vision for the future maintains the best aspects of the health service and its place in national life, tackles pressures faced by staff and sets out a costed plan to improve care quality and outcomes.

Bryn Sage, chief executive of Inhealthcare, which is based at Cardale Park in Harrogate, said: “As a company which has been working hard with individual NHS organisations throughout the UK to pioneer digital health and remote patient monitoring services, it is good to see this message coming from the top of NHS England.

“We believe leadership will help technology such as ours to be culturally embraced by the workforce as an enabler for health and care in the same way as medical equipment.

“Every month, we are adding 1,500 people to our services, which means more and more people can manage their own health.This reduces the need to attend routine appointments in person and increases the capacity of the NHS to focus on patients who need the most care.”

Inhealthcare, part of the Intechnology group of companies owned by Yorkshire serial entrepreneur Peter Wilkinson, has announced a new contract that will see its digital health services rolled out across a large swathe of London.

It says the agreement with North West London Collaboration of Clinical Commissioning Groups will make it easier to access health and care services at a fraction of the cost.

It claims that doctors will be able to offer personalised care to patients, empowering people with long-term conditions, helping free up capacity in the NHS.

Mr Sage said: “Our technology will give people the choice of safe and convenient access to health and care services, making it easier for clinicians to communicate directly with patients and help to reduce pressure on GP surgeries and outpatient clinics.”